Four Injured in House Fire

Three people and a firefighter were burned in a house fire today in Santa Ana that caused about $450,000 damage to the two-story structure, a fire captain said.

Firefighters dispatched at 5:44 a.m. to the home in the 1900 block of South Artesia Street had the fire under control at 7 a.m., Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said. The fire caused about$300,000 to the structure and about $150,000 to its contents.

How the fire started wasn't immediately known.

Four people were asleep inside when the home caught fire. A 63-year-old man and his 60-year-old wife were downstairs, and their 42-year-old son and his 34-year-old wife were upstairs, Concialdi said.

The fire captain said the 60-year-old woman was awakened by the fire, which began on the first floor. Her husband went outside to get a garden hose, as she ran upstairs to awaken the others.

"Unfortunately, there were no working smoke alarms in the home," Concialdi said. "They were lucky to be alive. We (the fire department) stress working smoke alarms."

By the time the 60-year-old woman was able to wake the people upstairs, the fire was raging downstairs, spreading to the garage, then upstairs, Concialdi said. Two vehicles in the garage were destroyed, and one in the driveway was severely damaged, he said.

The 60-year-old woman, her son and her daughter-in-law suffered first and second degree burns to their face, ears and hands. They also breathed some smoke, he said. The 63-year-old man escaped injury.     "One of the first firefighter/paramedics that arrived -- while he was searching for potential survivors -- experienced a great deal of heat," Concialdi said. "He suffered first and second degree burns to his face. He was in full protective equipment, which included his mask and air tank."     Paramedics rushed the firefighter to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where his burns were considered minor. The three injured occupants in the home were transported to Coastal Community Hospital in Santa Ana, he said.

The home adjacent to the fire sustained about $20,000 damage, Concialdi said.

-- City News Service